TULSA, Okla. — Both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents have been on the rise across the country since the latest Israel-Hamas war broke out. A Tulsa lawmaker now wants to codify protection against antisemitism-influenced hate crimes.
While HB2243 has the support of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, its language has seen opposition in other states.
Rep. John Waldron authored the bill, which will get first reading in the state capitol on Feb. 3.
It specifically codifies what antisemitism is, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Gov. Stitt signed an executive order using the definition in 2022.
While bills using the definition have passed legislatures in several states since 2023, a federal judge in Texas already granted a lawsuit to proceed against an executive order enforcing that definition, alleging it violates the constitutional right to free speech in criticizing actions by the Israeli government or its military.
The ACLU has also argued enforcing the definition could violate the first amendment.
Kenneth Stern, the lead author of the IHRA definition, has also opposed it being codified into law by governments.
However, Rep. Waldron told 2 News he believes the bill would work without clouding constitutional lines.
"If you look at the legislation, it merely codifies speech and directs agencies to use the tools that are already available," Waldron said. "So it's not like we're creating new avenues of law. We're defining discriminatory speech and asking state agencies to use the usual methods for addressing it."
Jewish Federation of Tulsa helped the Tulsa democrat draft HB2243 to be modeled after a bill that passed in the Georgia state legislature.
JFT Executive Director Joe Roberts told 2 News there would not be a crackdown of anti-Israeli sentiment if it was signed into law in Oklahoma.
"We talk about existing (hate crime) laws that are in the books and we say, 'Well, is this antisemitic?' In order to define that, we have to have the definition," Roberts said.
"The law does not allow in any way arrests for political speech."
Rep. Waldron added if Oklahomans were to take issue with his bill, he'd consider amending it to provide proper clarifications.
"We should have this discourse, and you know the legislative process is just the time to do that, to have that conversation, to consider amendments as bills go forward," Waldron said. "So I think what you're going to find is that this is an example of the political process working as intended."
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